master

1 of 3

noun

mas·​ter ˈma-stər 

plural masters

1

a(1)

: a male teacher

(2)

: a person holding an academic degree higher than a bachelor's but lower than a doctor's

also : the degree itself

b

often capitalized : a revered religious leader

c

: a worker or artisan qualified to teach apprentices compare apprentice entry 1 sense 1b, journeyman sense 1

d(1)

: an artist, performer, or player of consummate (see consummate entry 1 sense 1) skill

(2)

: a great figure of the past (as in science or art) whose work serves as a model or ideal

2

a

: one having authority over another : ruler, governor

This decisive battle left him master of Europe.

b

: one that conquers or masters : victor, superior

in the new challenger the champion found his master

c

: a person licensed to command a merchant ship

d

: one having control

proved himself master of the situation

e

: an owner especially of an animal

f

: the employer especially of a servant

g

: a person who holds another person in slavery

h(1)

dialect : husband

(2)

: the male head of a household

3

a(1)

archaic : mr.

(2)

: a youth or boy too young to be called mister

—used as a title

b

: the eldest son of a Scottish viscount or baron (see baron sense 2a)

4

a

: a presiding (see preside sense 2) officer in an institution or society (such as a college)

b

: any of several officers of court appointed to assist (as by hearing and reporting) a judge

5

a

: a master mechanism (see mechanism sense 1) or device

b

: an original from which copies can be made

especially : a master recording (such as a magnetic tape)

mastership

ˈma-stər-ˌship 

noun

master

2 of 3

adjective

: being or relating to a master: such as

a

: having chief authority : dominant

b

: skilled, proficient

a prosperous master builder

—Current Biography

c

: principal, predominant

d

: superlative

—often used in combination

a master-liar

e

: being a device or mechanism that controls the operation of another mechanism or that establishes a standard (such as a dimension or weight)

f

: being or relating to a master from which duplicates are made

master

3 of 3

verb

mastered; mastering ˈma-st(ə-)riŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to become master of : overcome

mastered his fears

2

a

: to become skilled or proficient in the use of

master a foreign language

b

: to gain a thorough understanding of

had mastered every aspect of publishing

—Current Biography

3

: to produce a master recording of (something, such as a musical rendition)

Synonyms

Noun

• ace
• adept
• artist
• authority
• cognoscente
• connoisseur
• crackerjack
• crackajack
• dab [chiefly British]
• dab hand [chiefly British]
• expert
• fiend
• geek
• guru
• hand
• hotshot
• maestro
• maven
• mavin
• meister
• past master
• proficient
• scholar
• shark
• sharp
• virtuoso
• whiz
• wizard

Adjective

• arch
• big
• capital
• cardinal
• central
• chief
• dominant
• first
• foremost
• grand
• great
• greatest
• highest
• key
• leading
• main
• number one
• No. 1
• numero uno
• overbearing
• overmastering
• overriding
• paramount
• predominant
• preeminent
• premier
• primal
• primary
• principal
• prior
• sovereign
• sovran
• supreme

Verb

• beat
• best
• conquer
• defeat
• dispatch
• do down [British]
• get
• get around
• lick
• overbear
• overcome
• overmatch
• prevail (over)
• skunk
• stop
• subdue
• surmount
• take
• trim
• triumph (over)
• upend
• win (against)
• worst

Examples of master in a Sentence

Noun

the master and mistress of the house

She is a master of her craft.

Adjective

a master craftsman who makes fine wood furniture of his own designs

Verb

She mastered French in college.

He is determined to master every aspect of the business.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The company is the master of noise-canceling technology and these earbuds do an equally excellent job of blocking out the outside world. —Julian Chokkattu, WIRED, 20 Dec. 2024

The show is a battle royal between two classes of chefs: the elite white spoons, who are culinary masters respected for their knowledge, longevity, and pedigree; and the black spoons, talented chefs, cooks, and restaurateurs who are still on their journey to mastery and recognition. —Karen Yuan, Bon Appétit, 18 Dec. 2024

Adjective

The new board will comprise 11 master sommeliers, plus four non-master sommelier members. —Esther Mobley, SFChronicle.com, 12 Nov. 2020

And coming back to her non-master suite? —Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 8 Dec. 2022

Verb

But one 3-year-old has seemingly mastered the art of tidying up, which has reduced the internet to tears. —Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024

Travis even masters two games of strip poker, where he is apparently allowed to cheat roguishly. —Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 9 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun, Adjective, and Verb

Middle English, from Old English magister & Anglo-French meistre, both from Latin magister; akin to Latin magnus large — more at much

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Adjective

12th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing master

• cellar master
• chief master sergeant
• chief master sergeant of the air force
• grand master
• hold the master key
• jack-of-all-trades, master of none
• master-at-arms
• master bedroom
• master chief petty officer
• master chief petty officer of the coast guard
• master chief petty officer of the navy
• master class
• master gunnery sergeant
• master key
• master of arts
• master of ceremonies
• master of science
• master plan
• master race
• master's degree
• master sergeant
• old master
• past master
• pit master
• question master
• rattlesnake master
• senior master sergeant
• special master
• wagon master

Kids Definition

master

1 of 3 noun

mas·​ter ˈmas-tər 

1

a

: a male teacher

b

: a person holding an academic degree between a bachelor's and a doctor's

2

a

: an independent skilled worker

especially : one qualified to teach apprentices

b

: an artist or performer of great skill

3

a

: one having authority : ruler

b

: one that conquers or masters

c

: the captain of a merchant ship

d

: an owner especially of an animal

e

: the employer especially of a servant

f

: a person who holds another person in slavery

4

—used as a title for a boy too young to be called mister

5

: a master machine or device

mastership

-ˌship 

noun

master

2 of 3 adjective

1

: being a master

a master carpenter

2

: being the main or guiding one

a master plan

3

: controlling the operation of other devices

a master clock

master

3 of 3 verb

mastered; mastering -t(ə-)riŋ 

1

: overcome sense 1, subdue

master an enemy

master a desire

2

: to become skilled at

master arithmetic

Etymology

Noun

Middle English master "master," from Old English magister and early French meistre, both meaning "master" and both from Latin magister "master, teacher, one who holds high political or military office" — related to maestro, magistrate, mistress

Legal Definition

master

1 of 2 noun

mas·​ter

1

: an individual or entity (as a corporation) having control or authority over another: as

a

: the owner of a slave

b

: employer compare servant

c

: principal sense 1a

2

: an officer of the court appointed (as under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 53) to assist a judge in a particular case by hearing and reporting on the case, sometimes by making findings of fact and conclusions of law, and by performing various related functions

Note: Under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, a master may be a magistrate or else may be a person with some special expertise in the matter. The word master as used in the Federal Rules encompasses a referee, an auditor, an examiner, and an assessor. If the master makes findings of fact, they are reviewable de novo by the court except when the parties have stipulated that the findings will be reviewed for clear error or that the master's findings are to be final.

master

2 of 2 adjective

: being the principal or controlling one : governing a number of subordinate like things

a master insurance policy